LSU's draft hopefuls have opposite approaches to bowl; Key questionable, Guice will play

LSU Tigers running back Derrius Guice greets some old teammates before the Tigers' non-conference game against Troy on Saturday Sept. 30, 2017.(Photo11: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)Buy Photo

BATON ROUGE — Both have dealt with injuries this season. Both are juniors. Both are expected to leave LSU a year early to enter the 2018 NFL Draft.

But the status of outside linebacker Arden Key of Atlanta, is up in the air again for the No. 17 Tigers' game against No. 14 Notre Dame in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Florida, while tailback Derrius Guice is raring to go.

"Arden is questionable," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said after the Tigers' first practice for the Citrus Bowl on Tuesday at LSU. "He hasn't come around like I thought he was going to come around. He's questionable right now. He's not practicing. And he's questionable, and that's all I know about it."

"As far as I know, he's going to play," Orgeron said at the time. "I expect him to play."

Key's status has been pretty much questionable ever since the end of last season when he started being projected as a top five or 10 first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft following his breakthrough season of 2016 when he set the school record with 12 sacks. He had two in the 29-9 win over No. 13 Louisville in the Citrus Bowl.

Key did not play in the Tigers' win over Texas A&M in the regular season finale last month or in the previous game at Tennessee after injuring his knee against Arkansas on Nov. 11. He missed the first two games of the season with a shoulder injury that he had surgery on last May instead of shortly after the 2016 season, which would have given him enough time to be ready for the season.

Guice, who went to Catholic High in Baton Rouge, has not had injuries recently to deal with, but he was bothered earlier in the season with knee and ankle injuries. He finished fourth in the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns on 216 carries in 11 games.

Guice is not considering taking the bowl game off to prepare for the NFL Draft, which is starting to happen here and there with college juniors.

LSU tailback Leonard Fournette skipped the Citrus Bowl last year and later was the fourth pick of the first round of the draft by Jacksonville, but his decision not to play in the bowl had more to do with recent injuries at the time.

"It means a lot. That's who he is," Orgeron said of Guice in the team room after practice. "Derrius loves football, loved every day he walked into this room. I've never seen him down. He wants to finish strong. I'm sure he's motivated. A 10-win season would mean a lot to him."

Guice, who is a possible first-round pick but not expected to go as high as Key, has also been hinting that he may stay at LSU for his senior season. But he likes to kid around with people.

"I'm not sure he's made a total decision that he's leaving yet after talking to him," Orgeron said.

K.J. MALONE TO PLAY: LSU senior starting left tackle K.J. Malone of Ruston is expected to play in the Citrus Bowl after missing the last six games of the season with a knee injury suffered at Florida on Oct. 7. He practiced Tuesday after being cleared for contact.

"He's ready to go," Orgeron said.

SHREVEPORT'S "GREEDY" WILLIAMS ALL-AMERICAN: Redshirt freshman cornerback Andraez "Greedy" Williams of Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport was named to the prestigious Associated Press All-American team on Tuesday on the second unit. He was one of only two freshmen to make the team, joining Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor.

Williams led the SEC with five interceptions and 15 passes defended.

He joins junior cornerback Donte Jackson and sophomore linebacker Devin White of Springhill as an All-American. Jackson was a second team selection by The Sporting News, and White was a second team selection by the Football Writers Association of America.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I like it myself, especially when I go into one home, and there's gumbo with potato salad. I went into the next home, and it was the best red beans and rice and fried chicken and cornbread I'd ate in a long time. Got to get some bigger pants. Besides that, it's fun." — LSU coach Ed Orgeron on balancing coaching his team for a bowl and recruiting for the newly installed early signing day on Dec. 20.